Cotton-picker.



No. 856,178. PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907.

J. B. NEIL. COTTON PIOKER.

APPLIOATION I'ILBD MAY 26. 1906.

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WITNESSES.-

[NVENTOR A TTORNEYS No. 856,178. PATENTBD JUNE 4, 190?. I

J. B. NEIL.

GOITON PIGKBR.

APPLIOATION rmm my 26. 190B.

3 8HEETSBHEBT 2.

J. B. NEIL.

COTTON PIGKER.

APPLICATION I'ILED MAY 2a. 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH B. NEIL, OF FILBERT, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HARRY E. NEIL, OF FILBERT, SOUTH CAROLINA. Y

COTTON-PICKER.

No. 856,178. Y

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. June 4, 1907;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnrrrB. NEIL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Filbert, in the county of York and State of South Carolina, have invented a new and useful Cotton-Picker, of which the, following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for picking cotton its primary object being to provide a machine of this character which can be drawn along a row of plants and which will pull the cotton therefrom.

Another object is to provide a machine of this character adapted'to embrace and compress the plants so that practically all of the cotton thereon will be contacted by the pickmg means. I

A still further object is to employ devices -which will hold the twigs and leaves of the plants away from the picking means so that there will be little if any danger of any material other than the cotton being discharged upon the conveyers.

Another object is to provide means for maintaining the plants substantially upright durin the operation of removing the cotton there om.

A still further object is to provide picking.

devices which will automatically 'adjust themselves to plants of different sizes.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of a movable frame carrying picking frames which are mounted to swing at theirforward ends on vertical shafts constituting pivots. Each of these picking frames has a plurality of picking rollersdisposed in the same vertical plane and preferably substantially horizontal.

Guard rollers preferably in the form of reference,

In the accompanying drawings is shown the preferred form of the invention.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine a portion thereof being broken away, and the mechanism for operatively connecting the various guide rollers, picking rollers, and cleaning rollers bei moved from the front end ofthe pic 'ng frame. Fig. 2 is a plan view; Fig. 3 is an end view of the lower portion of one of the icking frames and showing the mechanism or transmitting motion from one ofthe' pivot shafts to the rollers carried by its picking frame; Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the lower portion of one of the pickingframes' Fig. 5 is an elevation of a portion of one o the guard rollers; Fig. 6 is an elevation of a portlon of one of the picking rollers, some of the bristles being shown partly fastened theretoyFig. 7 is a detail view showin fla portion of a modified form of picking roller;

and Fig. 8 is a detail view of the mechanism for transmitting motion to the carrier.

Referrin to the figures by characters of K is the main frame of the machine the same being preferably rectangular in outline and consisting of upper side beams 1 and 2 connect-e y upstandin end beams 3 while the top beams are secure. rigidly together by means of cross beams 4 disposed at the ends thereof and intermediate beams 5. Parallel guides 6 are secured between the upper and lower beams of the frame and mounted between them are slides and lower 7 each carrying a trunnion-8 on which is rotatably mounted a supporting wheel 9. A sprocket 10 rotates with one of these wheels and drives a chain 11. Standards 12 are mounted on the top beams 1 near their rear ends and support a drive shaft 13 on which is secured a sprocket 14 supporting the chain 1 1. A beveled gear 15 is secured to .the drive shaft 13 near each end and each. of these gears meshes with a small gear 16 secured to one end of a shaft 17 journaled in standards 18 arranged on the top beam 1. Each shaft 17 extends lon itudlnally of the top beam thereunder and as a gear 19 at its forward end which meshes with a gear'20 arranged at the upper end of a vertical shaft 21 journaled in the forward ends of the beams 1 and 2 close to the front beam 3.

A picking frame 1% is connected to each side of the main frame A and each of these picking frames is preferably substantially rectangular in outline and consisting of top and bottom strips 22 and 23 connected at their ends by front and rear strips24 and 25 respectively. Ears 26 extend forward from the beams 22 and 23 and are pivotally mount ed on. the shafts 21 the ear 26 of beam 23 overla ping and being supported by the lower eam Z of the main frame A.

A seriesofhorizontal picking rollers 27' is mounted in each of the-frames B, said rollers being disposed'in vertical alinement. Each roller has .a spiral groove 28 out thereinto'in'which short tufts 29 of bristles or other desired material are secured as by lap' ping a wire .30 within thegrooves. Journaled in each frame B is also a series of hori zontal guard rollers 31 disposed in vertical -alinement and each roller being placed; in front of the pass between two of the picking.

ro'llers 27. These guardrollers are preferabl in the form of worms as shown in Fig. 5 an project beyond the inner edges of-the frame B for the purpose hereinafter stated.- Arranged within each frame B is aplurality of-cleaning rollers 32 eachroller being areach cleaning roller.

ranged adjacent the outer ends ofthe pass between two of the picking rollers and-these cleaning rollers have short teeth 33-extending from them and adapted to remove cotton 'in the same vertical plane, and an endless chain-39 is disposed between the sprockets 36 and 38 and extends into engagement with the outwardly projectin portions of the sprockets 34 so that when t ie chain is moved in one direction the sprockets and the rollers to which ,they are connected will move in the directions indicated bythe arrows in Fig. 3. A beveled gear 40 rotates with one of the sprockets 38 and meshes with ear 41. This 1 last mentioned gear is secured to a shaft 42 jo'urnaled within a bracket 43 extending from the front end of frame B and a gear 44 is also secured to said shaft 42 andmeshes with a ear 45 on the shaft 21.

Are ler 46 is supported below the front .end of the-beam 23 and has'a gear 47 rotatable therewith and meshing with a gear 48 on a shaft 49. This shaft is adapted to swing with the frame B and has a gear 50 thereon which meshes with a gear 51 on the. lower portion, of shaft 21. Another roller52 is supported under the rear end of beam 23-and on these rollers 46 and 52 is sear/s mounted an endless belt 53 inclosed. within a casing 54. This belt is adapted to discharge material into the lower end of an upstanding casing 55 carried at the rear end of frame Band an elevator 56 of any desired construction is mounted within the casing 55. This elevator is adapted to discharge material into bags 57 supported on platforms 58 secured to the rearend's of the frame A. The elevator may be driven in any desired manner as by means of a chain 59 operated by a sprocket connected to the roller 52.

" The outer portions of the frames B are preferably covered with fabric as shownat 60 i which serves to deflect picked material on to the conveyor belt 53 as shown particularly in Fig. 4. Inclined partitions 61 are interposed between the cleaning rollers so as to direct material, from said rollers and toward the.

so as to straddle a row of cotton plants which will be free to enter between the front ends of the frames B without hindrance but as they approach the rear ends of the frames B the plants will be compressed because of the tension exerted by the spring 62. The rotation of the supporting wheels 'will result in the transmission of motion therefrom to drive shaft 13 and thence throu heach shaft 1.7

and its gears to the pivot s aft 21 the gears 45 and 44 together with shaft 42 will result in the transmission of motion through gears 40 and 41 to one ofthe sprockets 38 and said sprocket will drive the chain 39 so as to cause the simultaneous rotation of all of the sprock' ets 34, 36 and 38. The guardrollers 31 will therefore be rotated in the direction of the arrows shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and by reason of their peculiar shape will tend to push the plants backward as the machine moves forward thereby maintaining them substantially upright. These rollers 31 also serve to hold the twigs and leaves away from the picking rollers which in rotating bring their ristles against the cotton bolls and pull the cotton away from the plants. This spiral arrangement of the bristles on the picking rollers is employed so as to assist the guard rollers in pushing the plants rearwardly. The teeth on the cleaning rollers remove the cotton from the picking rollers and. discharge itonto the inclined shelves or partitions 61 from which the cotton drops on to the endless conveper 53,is discharged on to the, elevator, an then delivered to the bags 57.

Insteadof arranging bristles within the groove 28 of each picking roller, glue may be placed within the groove and cockle burs 63 placed therein so as to partly project from the periphery of the roller as shown in Fig. 7. These burs are very plentiful in cotton growing regions and are particularly adapted therefore for use in removing the cotton because they can be collected and assembled with practically no cost.

The preferred form of the invention has been set forth in the foregoing descri tion but I do not limit myself thereto as am aware that modifications may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine'of the character described the combination with a portable frame; of swinging frames mounted upon vertical pivots within said portable frame, a resilient connection between the swinging frames, picking rollers carried by the swinging frames, and guard rollers carried by the swinging frames and projecting beyond the picking rollers. I

2. In a machine of the character described the combination with a portable frame; of

I iwinging frames mounted upon vertical pivots within said portable frame, a resilient connection between the swin ing frames, picking rollers carried by t e swinging frames, and means carried by the frames for moving the plants opposite to the direction of travel of the machine.

3. In a machine of the character described the combination with a portable frame; of swinging frames mounted upon vertical pivots within said portable frame, a resilient connection between the swinging frames,

icking rollers carried by the swinging ames,-land rotatable worms carried. by the frames and projecting beyond the picking rollers.

4. In a machine of the character described the combination with a portable frame; of swinging frames mounted upon vertical piv ots within said portable frame, a resilient connection between the swin 'ing frames, picking rollers carried by t e swinging frames, rotatable worms carried by the frames and projecting beyond the picking rollers, and cleaning rollers adjacent the picking rollers.

5. In a machine of the character described the combination with a portable frame; of swinging frames mounted upon vertical pivots within said portable frame, a resilient connection between the swmgingframes, pickin rollers carried by the swinging frames, rotatable wormscarried by the frames and projecting beyond the picking rollers, cleanlng deviges adjacent the picking rollersjand means operated by the=movementof the machine for actuating the rollers, worms, and cleaning devices.

6. In a machine of the character described the combination with a spirally, grooved roller and an adhesive partly filling the groove; of cockle burs partly embedded within the adhesive and extending from the groove.

7. ,In a machine of the character described the combination with a portable frame; of swinging frames mounted upon vertical pivots within said portable frame, a resilient connection between the swinging frames, picking rollers carried by the swinging ames, rotatable worms parallel with and interposed between and extending beyond the peripheries of the picking rollers, and means operated by the movement of the portable frame forsimultaneously rotating the picking rollers and worms.

8. In a machine of the character described the combination with a portable frame; of revoluble picking devices carried by the frame, and substantially horizontal revoluble guard devices upon the frame and parallel .with and partly interposed between the picking devices, said guard devices exten ding beyond the peripheries of the picking devices and in the direction of movement of the frame for maintaining plants in an upright position during the picking operation, the axes of the picking and the guard devices being substantia ly arallel.

9. In a mac 'ne of the character described the combination with a portable frame; of pickin devices carriedby the frame and horizontal y disposed rotatable guard devices upon the frame and between and parallel with the picking devices, said guard devices projecting beyond the peripheries of the picking devices and in thedirection of the movement of the frame for maintaining plants in an upright position during said movement of the frame.

10. In a machine of the character described the combination with a portable frame; of picking devices carried by the frame, horizontally disposed guard devices upon the frame and between and parallel with the picking devices, said guard devices extending beyond the peripheries of the picking devices and in the direction of the movement of the frame for maintaining plants in upright positions during the picking operation, and cleaning devices parallel with and partly interposed between the picking de.

v1ces. I

11. In a machine of the character described the cpmbination with resiliently conextending beyond the eripheries of the pick I In testimony that I claim the foregoing as ing rollers and into t e' direction of movemy own, I have hereto affixed my signature IO ment of the machine and constitutlng means n the presence of two w tnesses.

.for sup ortin com ressed lants in upright I v [)OSii'iOIESdIlIilg a picking operation, and JOSEPH NEIL means operated by'the movement of the ma- Witnesses:

chine for actuating the Worms and picking J. A. TATE,

rollers. JOHN R. LOGAN. 

